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Welcome back, RotoBallers. We're heading into Week 15 of the fantasy baseball season, and the minor league season rages on. It would be foolish to proceed without highlighting the top performances from Week 14.
It's imperative to monitor the top fantasy baseball prospects who have turned heads thus far. The players listed here are not only coming off dominant weeks but have also impressed over the entire season. Don't be surprised when these exact names are painting corners, mashing homers, and swiping bags at the big-league level soon. Fantasy managers should certainly keep an eye on these players over the long haul as they may prove to be excellent waiver wire adds in no time.
Note: Normally, this series sheds light on players' performances from Monday to Sunday. Since MiLB shifted last week's off day for the July 4th holiday, this week's edition will highlight performances from Tuesday to Sunday.
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Elly De La Cruz - SS, Cincinnati Reds
Level: High-A
2022 stats: 72 G, .303/.361/.610, 20 HR, 52 RBI, 52 R, 28 SB, .388 BABIP, .421 wOBA, 160 wRC+, 7.9 BB%, 30.5 K%
De La Cruz ranks second among Reds prospects and has put on a show this season, boasting a valuable blend of power, hit tool, and speed. Just 20 years old, the infielder was signed as a relatively unknown prospect out of the Dominican Republic in 2018 and hasn't looked back since. The switch-hitter has great bat speed, which can be seen in his .303 batting average this season. Although he has a tendency to get a bit over-aggressive, his hit tool has improved drastically since he inked his international contract. He has also developed enough strength to become an above-average power hitter. Defensively, De La Cruz has the range and arm needed to play shortstop, but if that doesn't work out, he is a great candidate to move to third base or center field. His five-tool potential combined with valuable positional versatility make him one of the most exciting prospects in the Reds' system.
Not only has De La Cruz put together a great season, but his stats over the last week were a whole new level of impressive. Over his last five games, he has gone 7-for-15 (.467) with five solo home runs, three walks, and just one strikeout. His display of power has been special, and his lack of strikeouts this week offered optimism that he might be able to produce home runs without sacrificing too many whiffs. It's not hard to imagine a future where De La Cruz is rostered in every fantasy baseball league.
Larson Kindreich - SP, Texas Rangers
Level: High-A
2022 stats: 12 G, 8 GS, 53.0 IP, 4-2, 1.87 ERA, .264 BABIP, 12.40 K/9, 4.58 BB/9
The Rangers drafted Kindreich in the eighth round of last year's draft and he has looked great ever since. Not only did he post great metrics at the start of the season in Single-A, but he earned a promotion and has arguably looked even better with High-A Hickory. The southpaw was a starter in college but has flirted with both rotation and bullpen roles in the Texas system. The southpaw has a good pitcher's frame at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. He throws a mid-90s fastball, complemented nicely by a changeup that might just be his best pitch. He adds depth to his repertoire with a mediocre curveball. The 23-year-old did struggle with control in college, and while his strikeout rate has been high in the majors, so, too, has his walk rate. Kindreich needs to work on avoiding walks in order to successfully climb through the levels of affiliated ball.
Control certainly wasn't much of an issue for Kindreich this past week. He returned to the starting rotation on Saturday and tossed six no-hit innings. He struck out eight batters in the process and allowed just one walk en route to earning the victory. Through three starts since his promotion to High-A, Kindreich has been responsible for just one earned run, seven walks, and 18 strikeouts. It's also worth noting that he hasn't allowed a single home run since being drafted.
Noelvi Marte - SS, Seattle Mariners
Level: High-A
2022 stats: 73 G, .262/.361/.445, 13 HR, 41 RBI, 56 R, 11 SB, .307 BABIP, .364 wOBA, 130 wRC+, 11.5 BB%, 21.9 K%
Don't look now, but Noevli Marte is making a push for a promotion. Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.55 million in 2018, the shortstop has looked solid at High-A this season. A player with true five-tool potential, Marte has impressive strength and a great ability to put the baseball in play. He has also shown a tendency to draw walks from time to time, though sometimes he can get too aggressive and produce a higher strikeout rate. Meanwhile, there's no denying that Marte has amazing power. This might just be his best tool, and he still hasn't tapped into it completely. Defensively, Marte uses his above-average running, strong glove and arm, and fantastic athleticism to man the shortstop position with ease. If things don't work out in the middle of the infield, he would have no trouble shifting to third base or center field.
Although Marte's numbers are slightly below where we'd like them to be this season, he certainly chipped away at them with a huge set of performances this past week. Through five games, MLB Pipeline's No. 1 Mariners prospect went 9-for-18 (.500) with four home runs, six RBI, five walks, and two strikeouts. No contest was better than his outing on July 8, when he registered two home runs and delivered a double. Marte will reach the majors in a few seasons, and when he does, he'll have high-end fantasy appeal.
Kelvin Caceres - RP, Los Angeles Angels
Level: Single-A
2022 stats: 23 G, 3-2, 45.2 IP, 3 SV, 4.53 ERA, 4.13 FIP, 45.8 GB%, .247 BABIP, 14.39 K/9, 6.50 BB/9
Caceres found himself on this list a handful of weeks ago, so it's no surprise to see that he has continued to dominate in the minors. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, the right-hander has a phenomenal ability to strike out batters. Not only does he have one of the best fastballs in Minor League Baseball, but he pairs it with a strong curveball that ranks well above average. Command has still been a big problem for the right-hander, though. Although his walk rate has dropped over the last five weeks, it's still a miserable 6.50 per nine innings. This number needs to go way down before Caceres can be viewed as a legitimate relief pitching prospect.
The 22-year-old chipped away at his walk rate this past week while posting two good performances on the mound. He tossed three beautiful, scoreless innings on Wednesday, accruing zero walks, zero hits, and five strikeouts en route to earning the save. Then, on Sunday, he threw two innings, allowing one run, one hit, and one walk while striking out two batters.
Rodolfo Nolasco - OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Level: Single-A
2022 stats: 68 G, .234/.333/.423, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 35 R, 7 SB, .336 BABIP, .352 wOBA, 120 wRC+, 12.3 BB%, 33.3 K%
Nolsaco, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound outfielder, earned a favorable $235,000 deal when he signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. The pandemic and an injury kept Nolasco away from Single-A ball until this season. In 2022, he has appeared in 68 games with the Single-A Marauders, showing off his power from time to time but generally posting relatively underwhelming numbers. Looking at Nolasco holistically and ignoring his tough start to this season, the 20-year-old has impressive raw power and a strong ability to identify balls and strikes. Unfortunately, he still has a relatively high strikeout rate due to his aggressive approach and swing-and-miss ability. Defensively, Nolasco isn't quick enough to play center field, but he does have the arm to survive in right.
Nolasco certainly tapped into his power this past week, going 9-for-18 (.500) with four homers, eight RBI, and six walks. He also recorded three strikeouts on July 6 but hasn't been sent down on strikes through four contests since then. This strong string of games shouldn't be viewed as Nolasco's new, permanent style of hitting, but it does offer some upside and optimism that he can still hit for power, draw walks, and lower his strikeout rate as he climbs through the levels of affiliated ball.
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